Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, is targeting to increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the current N800 million to N1 billion monthly.
This is even as he said that with the Court of Appeal affirming his victory in the March 9 governorship election in Imo, the distractions were over and he will focus fully to develop the state.
Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Information and Advocacy, Adaora Onyechere, the governor blamed the leakages on close to 250 bank accounts operated by the administration he inherited as well as illegal collections it made.
Onyechere said his administration decided to embrace the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to block such leakages to ensure accountability of revenue generated and channel it to proper infrastructure development for the benefit of the people.
“The Court of Appeal affirming His Excellency’s election has ended the distraction. Is not that the work has ever stopped but the real works start after the Court’s decision.
“Now that we have passed the appeal court stage, the people will be looking more to the realization of the promises made at the campaigns,” Onyechere said.
She added that “before now we had touts and illegal agencies collecting revenues and that led to the leakages.
“He (Ihedioha) has charged aides to look at innovative ways to increase IGR in 27 local councils which by the way, are autonomous.
“The automated clock-in and clock-out system for government staff has saved the state N283 million from ghost workers.
“He wants to rekindle the faith of investors to rebuild Imo
State through the ease of doing business. Some countries were mistreated by the last administration in execution of projects but His Excellency has rekindled trust in bilateral relations.
Some of the projects were with the World Bank. He also wants to rekindle teachers training, especially with public schools. These and more programmes he has initiated will certainly rebuild Imo State”.
